Method of making shoes



Aug. 16, 1932. M L. DODGE ET AL 1,872,571

METHOD OF MAKING SHOES Filed Jan. 27, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l A, M 14g 6 of MM,

Aug. 16, 1932. M. DODGE ET AL METHOD OF MAKING SHOES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 27, 1930 $04 96, 4. JZrdam not limited to the manufacture 0f "turns,

invention will be described with particular A Cu shoes is as follows.

Patented Aug. 16, 1932 matron L. nonen n-nn nuance. aonnnnonmnwnnnyronn MnssAcHnsmas-sm nameonMAKInG .snons lhis invention relates to the manufacture of shoes, more particularly turns, and hastor its chief object the production of high grade shoes in simple and economical manner.

1 'When applied to turn sh o'es it eliminates the necessity of hand'worl: in the shaping of the soles and produces results superiorto those obtainable Where hand Work is used.

While certain aspects of the invention age with or Without shank stiffener a'sin the manner disclosed in the Dodge PatentsNo 1,537,419, granted May 12, 1925, or No. 1,707,656, granted April-2,1929, respectwelyt Preferably, also, toe and counter stifienens are also incorporatedthe shoe at any suitable stage in the process aindthe toe'and heel may be shaped over forms,as is shown In'th'e Dodge Patent No. 1,701,997, gramted-Feh' ruary 12, 1929, and Dodge application Serial 1928.,"b'0tl1 501 method of making tulr n shoes. As will. be hereafter pointed out the sheping of'the toe portion over a form is advantageous advance oi the relastingof the shoes, and this operation, as also the heel forming, when he performed eithenbefore this is done, may

as may he or aiterthe molding of the sole, desired.

Instead of permitting the sole to dry out after the sole molding operation, as described in the Dodge Patents No.. 537,419, and-No. 1,707,656, and applications 'for'patents here? inbefore identified, in accordance with the present invention, the toe portion-attire shoe 1 is preferably shaped over a form as described in the Dodge application for patent, Serial No. 694,136, and the shoe is relasted'whil-e' the sole isstill somewhat in temper, and While on the last,"the'shanl z,and-if desired also, the torep art portions of 'thesolejaresub:

second molding operation.

jetted to melding pressnre suit at) lie molding'niecha nism may be used, the best'cres obtained hy'the use of a special, somewhat resilient, mo1ding1orih-, H tial wiping aetien here about the break line oiffth e sole rearwarzhy' whenpressnre is applied thereby'to the sole, form is Well adapted for me, al-

vxhich exercises .1 iii and "th though not limited thereto, the type and weretany there held to suitabietiine. Whileanyshown in our ap lication for patent, Serf 1N0; 142, 31? flied hy us October 1 8, 1926-, for molding machines, which shows a moldmachine in which the rnol'clihg pressure be exertec tor a desired len gth of ttnie without interfering with the' no'rin'al operation of the machine.

This rappiieatten is aeontinuatioh inpai-t .oi 'ourtapp lio'ati'on Serial 301,628, filed Augiist28,1928, tor method ot-making Fora mor'ecoinpl'ete understanding of this invention, reference may comp anyincg drawings in which Figures ".1 and 2 are side elevations ot-a v7? shoe 'assemhied and having its t0e portion; turned respectively,

Figures Sand s are tratingith'e tee forming operation.

Figures 5 and '6 are side 0 Figure? is a view partly insectionsh-ovrmg the sole molding operation.-

detail meets iiiiiselevation and not tom plan views respectively, of the shoe after- 'the'toe forming operation. 1

he had to the QICf-L Figure 8 isahottom plan-e'f'the shoeaitei the sole has been molded.

'9 and I0 are a side elevation and. an inverted plan view, respectively, of 1.

form specifically designed-flier use in the V Figure 11 a section on Figure 9,

line ili'lifof;

Fignre leis a fragmentary side elevation of a moldin machine the iet 10-, 1,1;- and 12.

form shown- Reterring to'the drawinga liignre 1 shows; v the upper 1 positio ed wrongside entonie last'l preparatory to the lasting operationff drawn and'theshoe is turned.

*The shoe 1s lasted With the sole in tempei the last is 'th-en As the toefis-tnrnedit is possible to incei ise" preferred, the entire forepart and on whether or not the toe porate a toe stiffener therein, as is disclosed in the Dodge Patent No. 1,453,925, granted May 1, 1923, this being shown in dotted lines at 3 in Figure 2.

Before turning the heel portion of the shoe, a combined counter stiffener 4 and shank piece 5 may be placed in position on the heel end face of the sole (Figure 2) after which the heel may be turned thereover and the lining tucked down onto the rear portion of the shank piece, as at 6, and the flap 7 may then be folded back in position thereover. v

The toe portion of the shoe may then be drawn over a form 8, which isturnable on its axis 9 relative to 'a stand 10 by which it is supported. The upper 11 may be pre sented upwardly as shown in Figure 3, so that the workman may readily smooth it down to the form, and it may be reversed to present the sole upwardly as shown in Figure '4, so that the sole 12 at the forepart may be pounded down and the inseam flattened. In some cases it may be desired to heat the form as by a heating unit 14. W hen a toe stiffener containing a stiffening agent softened by a solvent is used this aids in driving off the solvent so as to harden the stiffener. When a toe stiffener containing a thermoplastic stiflening agent is used it softens the stiffener so that it can more readily be shaped to the form, and its marginal portion more thoroughly flattened at the inseam.

Either after removing from this form or beforeapplication to this form, as may be shank portion'of the .sole is molded between metal forms Hand 15 of Figure 7. This is done while the sole'is still somewhat in temper, and more or less distorted depending partly shaping has been previously effected on the toe form.-

The shoe is-then subjected to the usual relasting operation but before the sole has dried out so that it is still somewhat in temper.

The shaping of the toe portion'of the shoe on the form facilitates the insertion of the toe of the relasting last so that the relasting operation. is greatly facilitated. It also causes the toe portion ofthe relasting last to bear on an extended area of the toe portion of the shoe, which effectively prevents the last from pushing forwardly of the sole, or overshooting which is a common difficulty inthe relasting of shoes directly after the turning operation asheretoforepracticed, and which requires additional operations in order to set the sole forwardly on the relasting last. This is often imperfectly done so that the shoes are not uniform in the relation of the upper to the sole, thus detracting materially from their appearance when associated in pairs.

The shoe is then subjected to a second sole molding operation on the relasting last, the

form this cushion 36 is shown pressure being held applied for a sufiicient second molding operation since there is then little if any tendency for the sole to spring out from its molded condition when the pressure has been released. as has been found the case where pressure is applied either by hammers or by-pounding out machines as heretofore constructed where the pressure has been applied by a series of blows.

A molding "form particularly suitable to use in this second molding operation and claimed in our application, Serial No. 398,- 654, filed Oct. 10, 1929, for sole molding mechanism is illustrated. in Figures 9 to 11, and is shown in use on a molding machine in Figure 12. Referring to these figures, it will be seen that the form comprises a support 20 which is provided on its upper face with any suitable means by which it may be fixed to a platten of a molding machine. As shown for this purpose there is provided a dovetail bar 21 fixed to the support 20 by any suitable means such as screws 23. One end of this bar is shown as provided with an upstanding lug 24 through which is threaded an adjusting abutment screw 25.

lVhen this form is applied to the molding as machine shown in Figure 12, the bar fits in a mating groove in the platten 27 and this abutment screw 25 engages a shoulder portion 26 on the platten and limits the rearward and downward motion of the form 1? relative thereto. As shown the form carries a pair of molding elements as 30 and 31.

The molding element 30 is shaped to mold the shank portion of the shoe and may be used alone if desired, although it is usually meat 30 comprises a plate of resilient mate- It'v rial such as spring steel as shown best at 35 in Figure 11, this plate being overlaid with a. suitable cushion, such as 36, of sole leather or the like, shaped more accurately to the contour of that portion of the shoe which is I 1" In the shank as having a portion 370 which is prefmore acute than the correto be engaged by the element.

central re-entrant erably somewhat sponding portion of the shank in order that molding pressure may be exerted more particularly on the'side margins of the shank to force them down to the wood of the last.

The element 30 is carried by the support 20 by means which permit it to have a limit- 1:7. ed motion toward and from this support.-

For this purpose a strap 37 is shown as fixed to the rear or top face of the plate 35, its ends being upwardly turned as at 38 to receive screws 39 which form pivots for the nevasvi lower ends of a pair of links 40, the upper ends of which are hinged at 11 to one end portion of the support 20. Interposed between the element 30 and the support are springs42 which preferably have their upper ends fixed to the lower face of the sup port as by screws 43. The element is thus permitted a resilient motion toward and from the support 20 being guided in this motion by the links l0. It will be noted that this form is concave on its under face, the concavity being particularly pronounced toward its forward end and within the concavity rides the rearward end of the forepart molding element 31. This element is provided toward its forward end with a transverse strap 48 having upturned ends 49 to which are pivoted links 50 pivoted at their opposite ends to the side of the support 20, as at 51. The upturned ends 49 are also connected through pivoted links'52 and 53 with the forward portion of the support 20, as at 54. Interposed between the'element 31 and the support 20 are the coil springs 55 which are preferably fixed to the under side of the support 20 as by screws in the manner previously described for the springs 42. The forming plates, particularly the shank forming plate 30, being of spring material yields 0 when forced under pressure against the outside face of the sole, exerting its pressure very strongly against the marginal portions of the shank so as to seat them firmly to the last, and, being of resilient or spring material, this pad is enabled to conform under heavy pressure to the contour of the last so that the same form can be used for a considerable range of sizes and shapes of lasts. Moreover, as the elements are brought down onto the shoe, this shank form exerts a downwardly and rearward wiping action on the shank untilfit 'is firmly seated in pressure contact therewith. This initial wiping action serving to smooth down the sides of the shank portion of the sole acts to help in forming the sole to the last contour. Since the forepart is substantially fiat the same wiping action is of less importance at this portion of the shoe, although it takes place to some extent.

In order that the form may be held'in molding contact with the shoe for a substantial period, some type of machine which will permit this without substantially slowa ing down the rate of progress of the shoes through the factory is of importance, and such a machine is shown in our Patent No. 1,709,842, granted Apr. 23, 1929. A portion of the top of this machine, as slightly n1odified for the purpose of this molding operation, is shown in Figure 12. Referring to this figure, it will be seen that on the machine bed is fixed a block 61 within which is journaled a rod 62 having opposite end portions 63 and 64 threaded oppositely. The

turning the shaft :62. as by means pf handle 68. The molding form is fired to the I platten 2721s h'ereinbefore suggested and this platten havin fixed thereto on opposite sides a an actuating ar This bar 7;0iisi fi xed;to anarm 71 to which i s agls'o fixed an a'rm '7 2, which is conneotedto the rear portion of the V platten 27;; The arm 72 and the linkv 71 {are fixed toi a shaft 73 which isvertical'ly slidable betweenj aws "741 of a bracket 75 made fast to the machine frame. Normallythis shaft 73 is held at the upper portionlto the bracket 70 as by means of the leaf spring 76. An actuating rod 77 is fixed at its upper end,as at 78, to the actuating bar 7 0 anthe link)? 1, and when it is depressed, its first actionis to turn the bar 70, link71, arm '72 and the platten 27to a position directly over the shoe supported on the postsfifi-an-dfifi, whereupon further downward pressure ex erted thereon brings the sha' t7-3 downwardly and applies the sole engaging elements :30 and 31 directly to the sole of the shoe. In accordance with the showin-g-of our joint patent'hereinbefore identifiedthe work table 60 may thenbe swung around whilethe, shoe is held under sol'e mold-ing pressur-eand while others are being inserted or removed a*I11d;th sole molding pressure is then released so that a shoe which is molded may be taken out from the machine and a shoe to be molded inserted therein, while other shoes are held under molding pressure. It is found that by exerting the molding pressure in this manner, no hand pounding out of the sole is necessary during the entire manufacture of the shoe, and that a very much better molded contour can be produced than by the hand method of pounding out or by machines which exert a pounding action in shaping the sole.

After this second molding operation the progress of the shoe through the factory may follow any usual or suitable order, the suc- 1.

ceeding operations forming no part of the present invention. 1

An improved method by which this invention may be carried out and mechanism particularly designed to carry out this method having thus been described, it should be evident to those skilled in the art that various changes 1 and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit or scope of this invention as defined by the appended claims.

We claim: 1. The step in the manufacture of a turn shoe which comprises wiping rearwardly from the forepart the shank portion of the '5 ieo 4 team sole while the shoe is on the relasting last and holding the shank portion under molding pressure in such wiped condition for a su stantial period. r

2. The method which comprises lasting a shoe wrong side out on a last with the sole in temper, withdrawing the last, shaping the toe portion and molding the sole, relasting while the sole is still somewhat invtemper, moldin the shank portion of thesole to the last, an then completing the shoe.

The method which comprises lasting a shoe wrong side out on a last with the solo in temper,withdrawi'ng the last, shaping the toe portion andmolding the sole,'relasting while the sole is still somewhat in temper, molding the shank and forepart portions of tllie sole to the last, and then completing the s oe. I

4. The method which comprises lasting a shoe with the sole in temper wrong side out on a last, withdrawing the last, turning the shoe, shaping the toe portion of the shoe, relasting the shoe while the sole is still in temper, molding the shank portion of the sole to the relasting last, and completing the shoe.

5. The method which comprises lasting a shoe wrong side out on a last, Withdrawing the last, turning the shoe, shaping the toe portion, relasting, molding the shank portion. of the sole to the last, and then completing the shoe.

In testimony whereof we have'afiixed our signatures.

MILTON L. DODGE HUGH A. JORDAN.

do I 

